---
title: Marking messages as unread
---

import {Steps, TabItem, Tabs} from "@astrojs/starlight/components";

import FlattenedSteps from "../../components/FlattenedSteps.astro";
import KeyboardTip from "../../components/KeyboardTip.astro";
import ZulipTip from "../../components/ZulipTip.astro";
import GoToRecentConversations from "../include/_GoToRecentConversations.mdx";
import MessageActionsMenu from "../include/_MessageActionsMenu.mdx";
import MessageLongPressMenu from "../include/_MessageLongPressMenu.mdx";

import FollowIcon from "~icons/zulip-icon/follow";
import MoreVerticalIcon from "~icons/zulip-icon/more-vertical";
import MuteIcon from "~icons/zulip-icon/mute";

Zulip lets you manually mark messages as unread. Specifically, Zulip offers a
**Mark as unread from here** option, which lets you mark the selected message
and all newer messages in your current view as unread.

There are many ways to use this feature, including:

* When you don't have time to read a conversation carefully, or to follow up on
  action items, mark messages as unread to return to them later.
* You can mark messages as unread when you [subscribe to a
  channel](/help/introduction-to-channels#browse-and-subscribe-to-channels). This makes it
  [convenient](/help/reading-strategies) to review all the recent
  conversations in that channel.
* Mark the results of your [search](/help/search-for-messages) as unread to
  review them at leisure.

## Mark as unread from selected message

<Tabs>
  <TabItem label="Desktop/Web">
    <FlattenedSteps>
      <MessageActionsMenu />

      1. Click **Mark as unread from here**.
    </FlattenedSteps>

    <KeyboardTip>
      You can also mark messages as unread by selecting a message, and using the
      <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>U</kbd> shortcut.
    </KeyboardTip>
  </TabItem>

  <TabItem label="Mobile">
    <FlattenedSteps>
      <MessageLongPressMenu />

      1. Tap **Mark as unread from here**.
    </FlattenedSteps>
  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

## Mark all messages in a topic or channel as unread

<Tabs>
  <TabItem label="Via left sidebar">
    <Steps>
      1. Hover over a topic or channel in the left sidebar.
      1. Click on the **ellipsis** (<MoreVerticalIcon />).
      1. Click **Mark all messages as unread**. This option will appear only if all
         messages in the topic or channel are currently marked as read.
    </Steps>

    <ZulipTip>
      You can also mark all messages in your current view as unread by
      jumping to the top with the <kbd>Home</kbd> key, and marking as unread
      [from the first message](#mark-as-unread-from-selected-message).
    </ZulipTip>
  </TabItem>

  <TabItem label="Via recent conversations">
    <FlattenedSteps>
      <GoToRecentConversations />

      1. Hover over a topic.
      1. Click on the **ellipsis** (<MoreVerticalIcon />) next to the unread messages counter. You may
         need to hover over the indicator icon for a followed (<FollowIcon />) or muted (<MuteIcon />) topic in order to see it.
      1. Click **Mark all messages as unread**. This option will appear only if all
         messages in the topic are currently marked as read.
    </FlattenedSteps>
  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

## Related articles

* [Reading strategies](/help/reading-strategies)
* [Marking messages as read](/help/marking-messages-as-read)
* [Star a message](/help/star-a-message)
* [Read receipts](/help/read-receipts)
